The Dragon and The Bear
by akirakurosawa
Summary: A prophecy had been spoken for the first time thousands of years ago, about a Dragon and a Bear, and immense power that they shall hold. In the times of war, professor Albus Dumbledore makes two enemies work together, only to discover frightening secrets and unlock the power within, and change the way they look at things. DMHG
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. **

**Hello! I don't really know what to say, except that the idea for this story came to me after a pretty messy break-up with my long-term boyfriend. The bad relationship prevented me from writing another pending story that I have, Patch for the Doctors. I'm getting back on my feet slowly, but this time Draco and Hermione just spoke to me, and I started writing and I couldn't stop. I already have next chapter written, and third is on it's way. **

**I had to tweak some Greek mythology to adapt them to my story, so don't hold it against me. **

**I hope you will like this. Here we go!**

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**Prologue**

_There is a legend, an old myth, about how two constellations, Draco and Ursa, were aligned._

_The Giants, offspring of Gaia, conceived by the blood of Uranus that fell upon Gaia as his Titan son castrated him, battled the Olympus Gods for the supremacy over the cosmos. In this dark time, which is called Gigantomachy, many battles were fought._

_Athena, Goddess of wisdom, courage, strategy and strength, fought her opponent, the Giant Enceladus, master of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Enceladus threw fire at her, but Athena had a powerful gorgon shield and escaped unharmed. _

_Enceladus decided to put Athena to the test, and with trickery he lured her to Arcadia and threw the Dragon at her. It was in its twisted form when she snatched it. Athena threw the Dragon to the stars, and fixed it at the very pole of heaven. To this day it appears with twisted body, as if recently transported to the stars. _

_Callisto was the most beautiful nymph, daughter to Arcadian King Lycaon. She was a follower of Artemis, Goddess of hunt, childbirth, wilderness and virginity. She took a vow to remain a virgin, but Zeus, ruler of the Gods and the Mount Olympus, saw her and decided to have her. He deceived her and took her virginity, which enraged Artemis who banished Callisto from her followers. _

_Zeus saw Callisto wandering through the woods alone, and decided to turn her into a bear and transport her to the stars, to spear her from the sorrow and sadness that awaited her on Earth. He put her next to the Dragon._

_The Dragon had been watching Callisto while she was on Earth, and saw the trickery and injustice caused by Gods, who destroyed her life. So the Dragon curled itself around Callisto, shielding her on three sides, preventing any harm from coming to her ever again. He shields her from the world; she brings him solace and understanding. They are bound together by the injustice, having no one but each other to turn to. _

_That is how constellations of Draco and Ursa stayed aligned until this very day._

_July 17__th__, 1980._

The Department of Mysteries, located on Level nine of the Ministry of Magic in London, held many different secrets. Many parts of it are denied to the public, yet that does not mean they do not exist.

The Hall of Prophecy is one among those hidden chambers. Its shelves are filled with records of prophecies, old and new, important and unimportant, good and bad, all gathered into small, dusty, glass orbs. Some of them glow dim, liquid white from within, others stay as black as the abyss to Hell.

Beneath each orb there was a yellow paper, with initials and numbers on it. The rows and rows of towering shelves hold records of human history, both Wizard and Muggle, however very few are aware of it.

In Row Three, on a shelf at the bottom of the room, in the far left corner, on the second panel from the top, there was a small orb that glowed a little brighter every day. It was as if it were calling to someone to notice it, to take it, to listen to it. The light it cast was bright red, in contrast with the soft white and blue of the room.

The letters beneath it said: _C. to H. 852 BC._

In Row Fifty – Seven, another orb glowed. This one had a piece of paper attached to it which said: _C. H. P. B. V. to T. A. E. 1855. _

In Row Ninety – Two, you could see a glimpse of red. Letters _C. T. to A. P. W. B. D. 1901 _were written on the old, yellow paper under it.

A man entered the Hall of Prophecy from the Time Room. He walked through the rows, not faltering for a second to look at any of the prophecies. His shoes hit the pavement, contributing to the eeriness of the cathedral – like room.

He stopped when he caught a glimpse of red in his peripheral vision. He stopped by Row Fifty – Seven, and made his way to the blood orb. Reading the paper and therefore making sure it was the right one, he smiled a wicked smile as he went to grab the orb.

As his fingers touched it, his smile faltered. He could feel something happening, and he snatched his hand back.

It was too late.

_Daily Prophet _

_July 25__th__, 1980._

_Page 15_

_Written by: Amos Almeidas_

_**AN UNSPEAKABLE LOSES HIS MIND**_

_On the morning of 18__th__ of July, an employee of Ministry of Magic was admitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after his colleagues found him mumbling incoherent things to himself. _

_As our reporter finds out, D. A. (32), allegedly an Unspeakable, had been placed on the Fourth floor of St. Mungo's shortly after his admittance to the hospital. Healers refused to say anything, due to nature of his job, but a reliable source confirmed that D. A. apparently lost his mind completely and is unaware of his surroundings and condition. Whether the injury was obtained on a dangerous mission or otherwise, we can only speculate. However, our source confirmed that the now – mad Unspeakable shall remain a permanent resident at St. Mungo's._

_Daily Prophet_

_November 12__th__, 1981._

_Page 15_

_Written by: Amos Almeidas_

_**Unspeakable still in hospital**_

_After more than a year spent in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on the Fourth floor, which is home to those who suffered damage from a spell, the Ministry of Magic employee D. A. (33), allegedly working at the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable, shows no signs of improvement. Inside source told us that his state took a turn to the worse, as his mumblings become more and more incoherent with every passing day._

"_He keeps talking about red lights and water and circles. It is exhausting, not knowing what he wants to tell us." Our source confided in us. _

_To remind our readers, the Unspeakable lost his mind on a dangerous mission, and healers believe there is no cure for him. He will forever be lost in the depths of his own mind, unresponsive and unaware to the doings of outside world._

_After this War and its consequences, I believe the Unspeakable is the lucky one._

_November 14__th__, 1981._

Professor Albus Dumbledore stood by the window in his Headmasters office. The copy of the Prophet was on his desk, open on page fifteen. Next to it, a Pensieve stood, its silver surface as smooth as silk.

"Albus, would you wipe that tired look off your face. You are the Headmaster of Hogwarts. You need to uphold some standards."

He turned to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black, former Headmaster of Hogwarts and, according to rumours, the least popular one.

"For a man a whole century old, I believe I'm entitled to feel tired sometimes." Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

Phineas opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment the doors opened and a man entered the office.

"Good evening Severus."

Albus Dumbledore recalled the last meeting between them, held in this same office. It had been right after Lilly Potter's death, and he had never seen Severus Snape so broken as he was in that moment. They made a deal that night, a deal which had the potential to save the Wizarding World should another War arise.

"Good evening, Albus. Let us skip the pleasantries. Tell me, what do you want?"

Tonight, however, no emotion could be read from his face. Dumbledore smiled.

"I have something to show you. A memory of mine that I believe you should know about."

He moved himself so he was standing right next to the Pensieve, leaning to the surface. Snape hesitated for a moment, and then reluctantly nodded and took a step closer. As they both leaned into the stone basin, silver cloud-like liquid started to move, creating ripples on the surface. They both dived in at the same time.

When they emerged, couple of minutes later, Severus Snape looked as if he was going to barf.

"If... if that is true, than... he doesn't even need old magic, or to split his soul, or anything. If they... if they turn against each other... or join him... I..."

Dumbledore sensed his confusion, and the fear Severus felt lay deeply in his one hundred years old bones. He sat behind his desk and looked at the young man who had already sacrificed so much, and asked him for another sacrifice.

"I know who the boy is. Now listen to me, and do exactly as I say. Future of our whole world depends on it."

"No pressure there," said Severus glumly.

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**So... tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter One

**AN: Hi guys! I was so excited, I had to post another one. I'm not sure about updating schedule, I have couple of chapters written in advance, but I'm not promising anything. **

**Thanks to everybody who favorited and followed my story, you make my day! I hope you'll post a review, so I know what you are thinking!**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING. I just play with characters.**

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**_Chapter One_**

_***DaB***  
_

_October 26__th__, 1994_

It was another gloomy Monday morning in Hogwarts. Hermione Granger was currently working with Hannah Abbot on a _Herbivicus _spell. It was supposed to make the plant grow faster, but Hermione had troubles concentrating on the task before her.

She received a letter that morning at breakfast from Professor Dumbledore, requesting her presence in his cabinet after her Herbology lesson. That meant she would miss out on Care of the Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid, which in itself, wasn't so bad. If she didn't love that gentle giant, she surely wouldn't have stayed in his class a minute more than necessary.

As the class ended, Professor Sprout looked at her strangely, probably because it was the first time she failed to master a spell. She shook her head, said a quick goodbye to Harry and Ron, and hurried from Greenhouse Three to the castle.

Hermione passed the sign in the entrance hall, that revealed to students that delegations from Durmstang and Beauxbatons will be arriving less than five days from now for the Triwizard Tournament, and made her way up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.

As she reached the ugly stone gargoyle on the third floor, she saw a figure leaning onto the wall next to it.

Draco Malfoy smirked when he saw Hermione Granger make her way towards him, her face an expression of pure disgust.

"Ah, Granger, to what do I owe this displeasure?" he asked, taunting the little witch that stood in front of him.

It was just the way they worked. He would push, and she would fight back. The fighting and the yelling, it was something they have grown accustomed to in the past couple of years. Everybody in the castle knew it – Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy hated each other with a fiery passion, and their encounters always left marks and bruises.

"I could ask you the same question, Ferret. Bullied any first-years to establish your supremacy again?" she bit back at him, internally kicking herself for responding to provocation.

"You know I have peers for that," he smiled eerily. "Why I'm here is not any of your concern. So tell me, Granger, what did you do?"

She decided to ignore him then, because it would only get worse. He would just continue to annoy her – Hermione knew that Malfoy wouldn't stop until he coerced a reaction out of her. So she willed herself not to react.

"Did the Gryffindor's Golden Girl do something bad? Broke a rule? What could it be?" he said. She remained unperturbed, and it made him crazy. Draco knew that she was already fuming inside, but he needed to elicit a reaction out of her, preferably explosive one, so he pushed a little harder.

"Did the little Muggle-born forget to return all the books she'd been reading, trying to catch up with real wizards?"

Her fingers twitched. He almost smiled. _Now we're talking._

"Too bad that your blood is a – how should I put it – disadvantage. You may go and read every book in Hogwarts library, and yet you wouldn't even be fit to tie a Pureblood's shoe. Even such a Pureblood like Goyle."

She looked like she was in terrible pain, clenching her fists and keeping her mouth closed in a thin line. Yet she kept her gaze firmly attached to the gargoyle and refused to look at him. _I won't let him get to me, he's just a bully. He wants me to react. I won't let him get to me._

Draco wanted her to lose control. He needed something to blow off steam – all the studying, being turned into a ferret by that madman Moody, and everything that was happening at home, it all made him crazy. Not even Daphne could help him, even though she did try, often, and her bed antics were quite a welcome distraction. And still he woke up in the middle of the night, bursting with strange energy that he had no idea how to spend. It did seem though that after every fight with Granger, some part of that energy dwindled. So he needed her to blow up and start hexing him, so he could hex her back and maybe regain some mental peace, if only for a couple of days.

"But I guess even tying up Goyle's shoes beats having to look at the Weasel and Scarhead every day." Draco could see he was getting to her – her whole body tensed as he mentioned two idiots that she was hanging around with. Sensing he was on a good path, his heart beating in anticipation of an outburst, he continued.

"Poor little Granger; why aren't your friends here? Oh, right, I forgot – they only call you when they need you to explain something to them, or do their homework. Nobody cares for you, and why is that?" he paused, preparing for the grand finale.

Hermione closed her eyes and her lips grew even thinner. _I won't let him get to me._

"It's because you're a worthless little Mudblood."

She swirled towards him.

"Locomotor Mortis!"

"Protego!" he yelled, easily stopping her curse. _Finally._ "Titillando!"

The curse hit her before she could put her shield up and she started laughing uncontrollably as her sides were burning with the tickling curse. Malfoy was looking all smug and satisfied with his stupid curse, so she held onto her wand a little tighter.

"Incar... In... Incarcerous!" she managed to say in between laughter. Draco wasn't expecting her to muster the strength for another spell, so he didn't have time to put up a shield before the ropes appeared out of nowhere and wound themselves around his body. His springy ten inches hawthorn wand fell out of his hand as he collapsed, cursing Granger in his mind.

A particularly strong wave of hysterical laughter caused Hermione Granger to fall on her knees, and muscle spasms kicked her dragon-core wand away from her.

_Oh, to hell with it!_ She thought, as she was rolling on the floor, tearing up from all the laughter.

That is how Professor Dumbledore found them five minutes later – Hermione Granger rolling on the floor laughing, Draco Malfoy lying on his back trying to wriggle his way out of the ropes. Had he not been the Headmaster of Hogwarts, he would've taken a picture.

_**DaB**_

"So, Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger, I believe you both to be alright and well?"

Albus Dumbledore looked at his two students, sitting as far away in his office as the furniture placement allowed them. Hermione Granger giggled uncontrollably every couple of minutes – the aftermath of a spell that would wear off in couple of hours. Draco Malfoy, on the other side, was silently fuming with fury as he massaged his wrists, which bore marks of the rope tied to them.

Both of their wands have been confiscated due to unfortunate events in the corridor, and were now lying on the table in front of Professor Dumbledore.

Before Dumbledore could open his mouth to speak, Draco Malfoy had already started speaking, and Hermione Granger jumped to the opportunity to add her own thoughts on the matter.

"That bloody witch hexed me-"

"You started it you idiot-"

"-I have marks to prove it–"

"-you called me a Mudblood-"

"-and my father will hear about this-"

"-why don't you just run off to your Daddy dearest you ferret-"

"-and then you'll be kicked out of school you pathetic-"

"-stop insulting me or I'll hex you to oblivion-"

"-don't call me a ferret you unworthy-"

"-STUCK-UP GIT-"

"-BLOODY KNOW-IT-ALL-"

"_ENOUGH!"_

They both shut up as their Headmaster's voice rang through the space. Portraits of former Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistresses were quiet in their frames, looking shocked as they observed the violent verbal sparring between two students.

Hermione bowed her head down, seething with rage and imagining how satisfactory it would be to punch Malfoy in the face once again. Draco looked straight at the Headmaster, imagining all the curses he could use to put Granger back in her place.

"I will not be hearing another word from you two. If you cannot be civilized towards each other, then it is best not to speak at all. However, I do have a request to make, and I shall hope that you can put your animosity to the side and do as I say." Dumbledore paused, trying to figure out the best way to tell them. Hermione giggled. He ignored it.

"Sometimes, the most unexpected twist of events can bring about consequences that we were not expecting." He turned to Draco. "Mister Malfoy, I know about the advance magic classes with your Godfather."

Draco's eyes widened a little, but other than that, he showed no sign of emotion on his face.

"I wish you to transfer all that knowledge to Miss Granger."

_I should have known it wouldn't be easy,_ he thought to himself when they started shouting simultaneously.

"Are you bloody kidding me? Why would I stoop so low-"

"I don't need Ferret boy here teaching me anything-"

"-tell my family secrets to a lowly Muggleborn-"

"-perfectly capable of mastering spells on my own-"

"-blatantly refuse such a preposterous thing-"

"-git incapable of selflessness-"

The noise was upsetting the portraits and him quite frankly, so he waved his wand and there was immediate silence.

"Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger, I will not repeat myself. You think you can manage a couple of moments of silence to allow me to explain myself, or do I need to start deducting House points?"

Both students wriggled uncomfortably in their chairs. The portraits on the wall huddled closer, interested in an unusual situation that was happening in front of them.

"Very well. Now, I believe I owe you an explanation."

He waved his wand again, removing the spell that prevented them from talking. Draco Malfoy remained impassive in his seat, his face not moving an inch, while Hermione Granger looked at her Headmaster with an incredulous look.

"You see, Mister Malfoy, your Godfather may have already explained some of this to you, but I shall explain again, for Miss Granger's sake." Dumbledore fell silent, contemplating his next words.

_What in the name of Merlin is this all about?_ Hermione was confused and frustrated by the lack of information, and she wished she could put Professor Dumbledore on fast forward, like she did with movies on VCR back home.

"You see, Mister Malfoy, even as a young wizard, showed signs of... unusually powerful magic."

Hermione turned to him, unconvinced, and the stupid git had the audacity to smirk at her. She stopped herself from yelling a string of expletives at him, and focused back on Professor Dumbledore.

Draco on the other hand wondered how Dumbledore came across all these information, which only two people in the entire world knew about.

"As he was growing up, his magical powers became difficult to control. Mister Malfoy's parents were unaware of it, as they both are, to this day, very powerful wizards. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy just assumed that their son has inherited their undeniably powerful legacy. However, his Godfather recognised these powers as something potentially dangerous because of multiple reasons, the danger of them consuming and destroying young Mister Malfoy being most prominent of them."

_Because that would be such a shame._

Malfoy turned to Hermione in that moment and their eyes met. For one strange second, it was as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. She shook her head, getting rid of such an utterly ridiculous thought.

"So, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He started training Mister Malfoy since the age of six, teaching him how to control and use his powers in a way not dangerous to others. Would I be correct to assume that your parents are still unaware of the full extent of your powers, Mister Malfoy?"

Draco looked at Dumbledore and nodded curtly.

"Excuse me Sir, I admit this is very interesting, but what has that all have to do with me?" Hermione asked, feeling more frustrated with every passing breath.

"I was just getting to that part Miss Granger, but I can see you're getting impatient, so I will explain. As you became a student here in Hogwarts I had the pleasure to observe your progress throughout the years. I can say, without false modesty, that you are the brightest witch of your generations and many before, and I have seen many students come and go." Dumbledore smiled at her, and she felt her cheeks burn.

"It was brought to my attention that your skill and power is extremely similar to Mister Malfoy's, but that you are reluctant to show it, or use it in any way. I believe that is why you have issues with casting spells in environments that aren't completely academic."

Hermione blinked once, bewildered that someone noticed. Another giggle escaped her mouth. Dumbledore shrugged apologetically at her, and Malfoy barked a laugh.

"You suck at duelling Granger. Who would have known? Whenever we duel you seem to get along fine."

As the words left his mouth, he knew he let his guard down and made a mistake.

_Was that... a compliment?_

Hermione turned and looked at him incredulously, and there was a shadow of confusion on his face that was gone almost as quick as it appeared. Dumbledore decided to intervene before tensions could escalate.

"As you both know, duelling is strictly forbidden out of class, and students caught duelling will be severely punished."

He looked at both of them meaningfully. Hermione was too distracted to notice. Draco was very intrigued by the development of situation, so he nodded to the Headmaster to continue.

"Now, Miss Granger, I know you know that my words are true. I am sure that you felt these powers on more than one occasion, yes?"

Hermione cleared her throat before reluctantly speaking.

"Yes, I... sometimes I feel like my magic is different than that of my friends. I just always assumed that it was because I was a Muggle-born."

She could hear Malfoy's voice in her head. _A worthless little Mudblood._

"Well, I can honestly say that there was never a case where magic of those whose parents were wizards and of those whose weren't differed. Magic differs from one person to another only by their affinities towards certain subjects. No, you and Mister Malfoy here," he nodded at Draco, who was listening silently, "you both have something in common. So, as of this day forward, I would ask of you to meet once a week for a lesson."

As he saw same angry looks on both the student's faces, he raised his hands.

"Settle down, please. This is non – negotiable. I shall not allow my students to come to any harm by your unrestrained magic, and that applies to you more than all Miss Granger. You need to learn how to control and properly use your magic so that nobody gets hurt. And seeing that Mister Malfoy has had some experience in this particular area, I believe you two can come to a mutual understanding."

"Why can't you teach her?" Draco asked, his voice barely audible.

"Because, Mister Malfoy, this year I shall be extremely busy with the Triwizard Tournament, and I cannot ensure continuous work with Miss Granger. You however have the time and the knowledge to help Miss Granger."

Dumbledore stopped suddenly, and looked the young wizard in the eyes.

"I know you're wondering how I know all this, Draco. Your Godfather told me, when he spotted similarities between you and Miss Granger. He expressed his concern for other students, and I agree with him. He was a bit reluctant when I explained this plan to him, but in the end he gave his full approval. You may ask him as soon as we're finished here."

"And if I refuse?"

Dumbledore resisted the urge to sigh loudly at the grey-eyed Slytherin.

"If either of you refuse, you both will be grounded until the end of the school year. Every afternoon after classes you will be in detention with various Professors. Three weekends a month you will be assisting Professor Hagrid with whatever he needs. Your Hogsmeade privileges will be irreversibly revoked. Neither of you will be in the run for Prefect's position next year."

They both stared at him with mix of shock and disgust. He turned to Hermione first.

"Miss Granger, you shall no longer be able to access the Restricted Section of the Library, unless it is for a school project, with a special permission slip signed by the class Professor and Headmaster. You will have to leave the Library with all the other students – no special treatment at all."

She looked at him like it was the vilest thing anyone could do. Draco smiled wickedly, but then Dumbledore turned to him and he didn't think it so funny anymore.

"Mister Malfoy, seeing as this year Quidditch Cup is cancelled, you shall be suspended from playing the whole next year, and maybe even until you finish school. Even if you do go complaining to the Board, I have my ways of ensuring you would be banned."

He finished his speech and looked at them.

"I ask of you both to act as reasonable adults. It is one day a week for a couple of hours, and it is for both your sakes. I shall give you some time to think; I need your answers until Wednesday. You are dismissed."

They both opened their mouths, arguments about the unfairness of the whole deal ready to flow. However, before either of them had the chance to protest, the doors to the cabinet opened and Professor McGonagall came in.

"Albus, I... I didn't know you had visitors. Hello Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy."

"Hello Professor," Hermione managed to say. Draco remained silent.

"They were just leaving, Minerva, do take a seat. Good day Mister Malfoy, good day Miss Granger."

They took the hint and stood from their chairs.

"Don't forget your wands, and remember, everything we discussed today stays between us."

They took their wands and with a final incredulous look at the Headmaster, a Gryffindor and a Slytherin left the office in silence.

As they cascaded down the staircase, each in their own thoughts, they did not see a bat looming by the window, unusually still and watchful for a night animal.

_**DaB**_

The gargoyle let them pass, and they found themselves standing in exactly the same spot they hexed each other half an hour ago. The tension was palpable in the air around them, and they turned towards one another at the same time.

"Malfoy, I think we should consider-"

"Granger, I believe we should think-"

They stopped at the same time, unspoken words on their lips. Suddenly, it was like neither of them could find the appropriate response to what they've just heard. So they just stood in silence in the empty corridor, as their eyes locked.

Grey steel and dark bronze collided, and it was like battle of the Giants. Neither would look away, and neither would speak first. They both knew they couldn't stay like that forever, but in those few moments, the Lion and the Serpent could still hate each other with the same passion as before, and the world was in perfect balance.

Black and white. Good and bad. Iron and bronze. Hot and cold. Night and day.

They were two sides of the moon, embodiment of the equilibrium of the universe. They felt the pull simultaneously, and unknowingly they both took a step closer. They did not note the movement of the gargoyle as it turned its head to observe.

Distant laughter pulled them out of the trance, and seeing how close they were, they put some distance in between. Malfoy spoke first.

"I'll be a gentleman and let you say what you wanted to say Granger."

Hermione felt perturbed at his unusually polite behaviour. Her head hurt, she was still giggling occasionally, and her heart beat furiously in her chest. She decided to deal with all of that later – her priority was getting as far away from Draco Malfoy in the shortest amount of time.

"I think... we should think about it. I don't want to lose my library privileges, and I'm sure Quidditch is equally important to you. I suggest we think about it separately, and then meet somewhere tomorrow night to discuss the final decision."

Malfoy nodded.

"I agree. Astronomy tower at dinner. Be there."

And without a second glance he turned away and headed to the dungeons. With another giggle, Hermione made her way to Arithmancy.

_**DaB**_

With a final sigh, Draco Malfoy rolled off Daphne Greengrass's body and lay on his back, making himself comfortable in his bed.

Daphne was still panting as she put one hand on his bare chest, slowly kissing her way to his mouth. That moment of ecstasy already passed for Draco, so he just looked at her and turned his head when she tried to kiss him on the lips.

"Do you want me to stay?" Daphne asked him, hurt barely present in her high pitched soprano voice.

"No."

She reluctantly pulled away, cursing herself inwardly for developing feelings for a boy as cold as ice. Why she thought it would be different than usual? Maybe because he sought her with such urgency this time, and fucked her with such force that she mistook it for actual feelings. She had been flirting with Theodore Nott for quite some time in hopes of making Draco jealous. Obviously, she stupidly misinterpreted his need for a fuck as a need for_ her_. She quickly dressed herself, and left without a word, holding back tears until she was safely tucked in her own bed, cursing the night when she gave herself to Draco Malfoy only to get her heart broken in return.

Draco was furious. Furious with Severus for not telling him about this idiotic plan before, furious with Dumbledore for coming up with it in the first place, and furious with Granger for, well, fucking existing!

He confronted Severus right after he left Granger giggling in the hallway, and his Godfather told him he would be stupid to refuse Headmaster's offer. He reminded Draco about his issues with insomnia, and bursts of energy that he was feeling more frequently as he was stepping into puberty.

That unexplainable energy was the reason he slept with Daphne for the first time, during their summer break. He was extremely nervous that night, and he thought sex would help him alleviate the tension.

It didn't.

One verbal sparring with Granger satisfied him more than a whole night with Daphne, and that unnerved him and made him even more agitated.

When he asked Severus how it could be possible that a Muggle-born like her possessed the same power as him, the Pureblood heir of House Malfoy, his Godfather briefly looked at him with a strange look that Draco didn't recognize.

"I do not know. Miss Granger does have similar powers to yours, and in the state that she is now, she is a walking danger to every single person in this school. So, if not anything else, you should train her out of your sense for self – preservation. Here is a slip – take it to Professor Vector, because I distinctly recall you should be in class right now."

Draco had been left with more questions than answers after that, and the rest of his classes passed in a blur. When he returned to the Slytherin dungeon, he sought Daphne in the Common Room and dragged her with him to his bedchamber for some release.

It did not help. He was still going crazy with all these thoughts of bronze eyes roaming in his head, making him seriously contemplate breaking the window in the Common Room and offering himself as a snack to the Giant Squid.

_**DaB**_

Hermione Granger sat in the library, reading the same paragraph in her _Numerology and Grammatica_ for the third time. She sighed and gave up, leaning back in her chair and letting her mind roam over strange things that happened today.

_Dumbledore's plan is just plain stupid. Working with Malfoy, it's a nightmare! Although he is an extremely smart person, for an arrogant ferret. That much I can admit. And apparently, he is familiar with these outbursts of magic that I experience so often lately. _

Her magic got even crazier as she got her first period. When she bled for the first time this summer, all sorts of crazy things started happening. Things sometimes moved if she concentrated on them hard enough, light bulbs exploded if she was agitated, and if she didn't know better, she would think that even weather somehow reflected her mood swings.

But the weirdest thing was this nervous energy that she had about her. She felt it all the time, and there wasn't anything that she could do to get rid of it. She would wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat and panting. She would run to her window, seeking the solace in the cold night air to calm her pulse and clear her thoughts.

The only thing that seemed to calm her down was her quarrelling with Malfoy. It made sense – if they both had these energy bursts, the only way they could control it was to take it out on each other.

_The way he looked at me today, it was as if he understood me and hated me at the same time, and I hated him and understood him right back._

She stopped herself before she started reading more into it than it was. It was time to finish for the night and go to sleep – maybe things would be clearer in the morning.

* * *

**TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK :)**


	3. Chapter Two

**AN: I own nothing. All the characters belong to J. K. Rowling.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and put this story on alert! I'm excited to hear what you think about this one.**

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_**Chapter Two**_

_***DaB***_

_October 27__th__, 1994._

Students made their way to the Great Hall, chatting excitedly about the Triwizard Tournament. The air was buzzing with excitement – none of the students were ever a part of that kind of grandeur event. Most of them were never in contact with witches and wizards from other Wizarding schools, and Beauxbatons and Durmstang had quite the reputation. Everybody seemed to be talking about it, and the rumours flew all over the castle. Who would be the Champion? What would be the tasks? Each suggestion was crazier than one before, as imagination ran wild and expectations grew.

Hermione spent most of the day lost in her thoughts, weighing the pro's and con's of Dumbledore's plan. She was currently walking to dinner next to her two best friends, who speculated who would be Hogwarts Champion. She paid them no mind as her mind worked itself into overdrive.

_What if I tried to negotiate with Professor Dumbledore? Maybe not have all of my library privileges revoked, but just a fraction of them? Or maybe offer to work with Hagrid and his bloody Blast-Ended Skrewts every weekend in exchange for Restricted Section access?_

"- Cedric Diggory is an idiot, he can't be the school Champion-"

_And what about Malfoy? I'm sure he wouldn't want to work with me anyway, he hates me. The feeling is mutual, but nevertheless, he wouldn't teach a Muggle-born everything he knows, would he? Except maybe it's not such a bad idea... If nothing else, I could at least learn how to control those energy outbursts and maybe get some good night's sleep._

Her insomnia had gotten worse, and she now felt a constant string of electric current running through her at all times. She started fearing the DADA classes, terrified that Moody would make her perform a spell that would seriously hurt someone, because she wouldn't be able to control it.

She could feel that she was a danger to other people, and she wouldn't let herself hurt a friend or a colleague. That is why she _needed_ these classes with Malfoy. As much as it pained her to admit, she needed him to teach her how to control herself before someone innocent paid the price. That did not mean that she didn't loathe the very thought of asking him for help.

"- Ravenclaw has some pretty smart people, perhaps one of them-"

_I wonder what Malfoy decided? Did he have the chance to find a loop-hole in Dumbledore's plan? He must have been thinking about it too, he seemed distracted today in Potions. Maybe we could find something together tonight- SHOOT!_

Hermione stopped suddenly.

_I need to meet Malfoy!_

"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked her, stopping his conversation with Ron to give her a confused look.

"I... I just remembered that I forgot my essay on the... the Goblin Rebellions in the library, and it's due tomorrow! I'll be back," she yelled at them, already running away. _How could I have forgotten about our meeting?_

Ron and Harry looked at each other, sharing a shrug and continuing their conversation unperturbed. These kinds of things happened often when you were best friends with Hermione Granger, and they were both used to it by now.

_**DaB**_

Draco came early to the Astronomy Tower, having ditched Crabbe and Goyle before their last lesson. He did not like being around them for longer periods of time – he could almost feel his intellect fading. They were alright for doing his bidding, but they could absolutely not hold an interesting and captivating conversation.

That is what Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini were for. Slytherins did not have any friends – acquaintances, perhaps, was the better word. _You do not get emotionally attached to anybody in Slytherin, because it is extremely unwise._ In the noble House of Salazar Slytherin, power was the most prominent feature, and it was what everybody aspired to. So it was good to have influential and powerful acquaintances, and to establish your place in the hierarchy early on.

Draco Malfoy was especially respected and feared in Slytherin, mostly because of his Father. Filling the shoes of Lucius Malfoy, former Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, successful businessman and member of Dark Lord's closest circle, wasn't an easy task. However, Draco knew when to be ruthless, when to be merciful, and he knew how to play the game of power better than anybody else.

He was Lucius's son after all.

So he claimed a place for himself high up the ladder of Slytherin House hierarchy, and planned on keeping it. At the age of fourteen, he stood shoulder to shoulder with 7th Years, and never showed any fear or reluctance.

He enjoyed a good conversation, and he liked to joke as any other boy of his age. In his Second Year, he found that he felt most comfortable in the company of Theo and Blaise, so the three of them spent more time together over the holidays, and formed a strong connection of mutual agreement and interest. His relationship with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott was the closest thing to friendship he had.

They had been talking in the Common Room just before he went to meet with Granger, and Theo made some excellent points about current political situation in South America. It was a topic of interest to all of them, as their families had investments all over the globe, but particularly in developing areas of the Wizarding World such as the one in question.

Theo expressed his opinion about how left-oriented radicals' approach would impact the economy, and Blaise disagreed, pointing out that _status quo_ was the worst form of stagnation disguised as progress. Draco sat quietly by the fire, not speaking, deep in his thoughts.

"Drake, mate, what's wrong with you?" Theo asked him, and it pulled Draco from his reverie.

"Nothing, just... thinking about writing a letter to my Father and pointing out some of the points we established today in our conversation. He is always glad to hear my input, as I am the sole heir of Malfoy fortune. I will be in charge of every aspect of our business one day, so he likes to see I'm well informed," he said, quickly coming up with an excuse. Distraction was presumed as weakness in Slytherin, so Draco learned how not to let anyone notice when he was out of his element.

"I should better go, my owl will be hungry, and nobody will be in the Owlery at the time of dinner. It will give me some peace and quiet to write the letter."

Two Slytherins nodded in understanding as Draco stood from his chair and made his way from the Common Room, resuming their debate fiercely as they sipped pumpkin juice by the fire. Don't ask too many questions – another thing you learn in Slytherin.

That is how he found himself standing alone on the Astronomy Tower, waiting for the Muggle-born witch to grace him with her presence.

_I should just send Dumbledore to hell. Who does he think he is, threatening me like that? And Severus, had he lost his mind completely, actually agreeing to the stupid plan? _

The wind blew and twirled his robes, and the cold was a welcome change to the fire that burned inside him. _That was it_. He knew he should refuse, but after thinking about it for a long time, he knew that he was going to say yes.

And not because of Quidditch, nor because of detention. No, he was going to say yes because of the fire.

The clouds became thicker and darker as he felt anger course through his veins. He couldn't live like this anymore. He couldn't pretend that nothing was wrong, when everything was wrong. He had woken his roommates twice since they got back to school as the energy became impossible to control. He shrugged it off as exhaustion, but if it happened again, they would start to question his strength, and he couldn't let that happen.

He realized that fighting with Granger was the only thing that subdued the fire, and now he would have an excuse to fight with her, yell and hex her as many times as he needed to regain his composure, and that was why he would say yes, among other things. Those sort of things that were better left unsaid.

That didn't mean that he wasn't reluctant.

_I am the Malfoy heir, a Pureblood, and a powerful wizard. I can do anything I want and get away with it. I have the potential to become even more powerful than my Father, and there are great things awaiting me in the future. And now I need to share my knowledge with someone as unworthy as _her_._

In a moment of synchronicity there she was, standing mere feet away from him, her eyes twinkling and her hair a mess. She was breathing heavily, having just run up too many flights of stairs. She seemed like she couldn't talk yet, so he kept quiet too. Her breathing slowly returned to normal, and she came closer to him.

"I think we should do this," the wind picked up her voice and brought it to him after a long period of silence. He stayed still and watched clouds scattering over the sky. He could almost see the stars now.

She was going to say no. She wanted to make him help her to find a way around detention and punishment that awaited them should they refuse. She thought of million and one reasons why they shouldn't be doing it as she ran up the stairs, but they all vanished from her head as she opened her mouth, and those words just came to life, tumbling out before her brain caught up with them.

_Words once said cannot be unsaid._

From the Astronomy Tower they had a clear view of the Forbidden Forest. Treetops moved in the rhythm of silent music, and their dance looked like a well-rehearsed choreography. Hermione was always afraid of the woods; it was unknown territory. She had no control over the forests as they kept their secrets well hidden, and there was no book that she could read in advance and prepare for the unexpected.

She decided it was time she moved from the outskirts of the forest and stepped inside.

"I can't sleep. I can't think. Energy burns inside me and I have no idea what's going on. I think I am going to hurt someone soon. Will you help me... please?"

She regretted her decision to speak the moment the rushed words pierced the silence. It was too late to take it back when Draco turned to her with confusion etched into his features.

"Are you... begging me Granger?"

She knew she should be upset, and yell at him, because that was the way they worked. He pushed, and then she pushed. But she couldn't find the strength. All her courage was spent on those last words, and she was more vulnerable than ever.

Draco felt exhausted. He should be taunting her, now that he got her to beg. He should provoke her, make her lose control and tame the fire that burned within. Then he realized – there was no fire now. It was more of a dull spark, burning slowly and draining his physical strength. He could feel his knees weaken, and to mask the inevitable stumble that would expose his weakness, he decided to sit down.

Hermione looked at him from the above, observing his gracious movements as he lowered himself to the ground. There was almost no light present – after a certain height the stars were the only source of light left. But the clouds covered the sky, and the only thing she saw was his silver blond hair. She cast a warming charm on herself and on a crazy impulse she sat down beside him. The stones were cold, but the wind didn't blow that hard down here, and they could finally talk in normal voices.

Draco leaned his head back on the marble stone and stared at the sky.

Hermione leaned her head back on the marble stone and closed her eyes.

Neither of them spoke for a long time.

_**DaB**_

"I agree."

Brown-eyed witch opened her eyes and slowly turned her head towards him. He was already looking at her. Darkness covered his face and she couldn't see his expression. His voice was polite and reserved - the diplomatic voice he perfected over the years.

"Okay."

He nodded, and then stood up slowly. She raised her eyes to look at him, and there it was. Cruel, grey steel eyes that held contempt, anger and hate.

"You'll be begging me again Granger, only this time it would be to stop once I'm done with you. I'll see you Sunday; I'll notify you when and where when I prepare."

He disappeared quickly, and she shivered as the rain started to pour over her. She smiled, enjoying the soft teardrops on her skin. She arrived soaking wet at the Gryffindor Tower an hour later, feeling more like herself, determined to show Malfoy that nobody could mess with her.

Down in the dungeons, Draco Malfoy kissed Daphne Greengrass wickedly as she begged him to fuck her, remembering Granger's plead for his help and growing more satisfied with every second. He was going to make her life living hell, he vowed, as Daphne's moans filled the room.

They were back to familiar patterns of behaviour, as they separately decided never to mention that meeting at the top of Astronomy Tower again.

_**DaB**_

**October 28****th****, 1994.**

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_I have decided to accept your proposition._

_Have a nice day – that will make at least one of us._

_Hermione Granger_

_*DaB*_

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_I'll do it._

_Draco Malfoy_

Dumbledore smiled sadly over his glasses, giving some owl treats to two owls hooting on his desk, hoping he didn't make a mistake by putting his students in this situation.

_**DaB**_

**November 1****st****, 1994.**

Hermione woke up very early, still groggy from lack of sleep. On top of her insomnia, the girls in her dormitory swooned and giggled over Harry, Cedric Diggory, and Victor Krum. It was like someone poured a cauldron of estrogens and other female hormones over them. The shock of there being four Champions in the Tournament didn't help alleviate the tension, and she was doomed to listen to Parvati Patil and Lavander Brown desperately trying to figure out which one of the male Champions was the most handsome.

She decided to go to the Great Hall and get some breakfast, putting on her S. P. E. W. badge on her robes. Ron was already in the Great Hall when she arrived, brooding.

"Good morning Ron, where's Harry?" she asked, reaching for toast.

"I don't know, I'm not the Champion's bloody nanny." Ron's voice sounded bitter as he tried to stare her down. She remembered his reaction when Harry's name flew out of the Goblet, confusion the most prominent, but some jealousy and envy that only someone who'd spent as much time as she did with him could spot. She decided to put an end to Ron's stupid thoughts.

"You can't honestly think he put his name in the Goblet?" she asked him incredulously. "You need to be an extremely powerful wizard to trick such a magic object! Probably dark magic, powerful confusion charms, maybe even put his name under a fourth school so that he could be the only one chosen... Harry couldn't have done it, Ron, don't be stupid."

He stood up suddenly, dropping his cutlery down with a loud clang. Quite some people turned to them, eager to see what the noise was about.

"Don't call me stupid Hermione! I'm sorry I'm not more like Saint Harry Potter, brilliant at everything he does, even at those things that he doesn't do! Forget it, I'm leaving."

He left before she could say a word to him, knocking a plate down in process. She sighed and decided to take toast to Harry because he probably wouldn't want to face others congratulating him and asking him how he did it, and maybe go for a walk, now that Ron made her lose her appetite.

Hermione wrapped some toast in a napkin and exited the Great Hall, slowly making her way back to Gryffindor Common Room. It was strange, seeing so many foreign students roaming the castle. She could understand some of the conversation between wizards and witches from Beauxbatons, due to her parents' persistence in paying for her French classes since she was seven years old. Bulgarian, however, was more difficult to understand, and to her ears it sounded rough and wild.

She thought about Ron's response to Harry being chosen as the second school Champion. She knew Ron was just jealous of Harry receiving all the attention, but on the other hand, why couldn't he understand that Harry never asked for it? He had been labelled his whole life with idiotic titles, such as The Boy Who Lived, or The Boy Who Defeated The You – Know – Who, and even she was sometimes sick of it. She could only imagine how Harry felt. It seemed as though everything was always happening to him, and Hermione was amazed that he hadn't lost it yet and just started cursing everybody. _Or maybe he will experience one of those awkward teenage phases and will start wearing eyeliner and listening to Goth music._ She smiled at the silly thought.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Draco Malfoy in front of her and she would have walked past him without even a glance, had he not reached for her. And that was when their skin touched for the first time.

She gasped in surprise as his hand curled around her wrist. His fingers were soft and strong, and he applied a bit more force than necessary. Hermione could feel the energy inside her coil and collapse for a moment. It only lasted a fraction of a second before it started buzzing through her, eating at her from her very core. Her hair became just a bit frizzier and she could feel goose-bumps erupt all over her skin.

"Malfoy."

Her voice was more a whisper than anything else. Had she not been Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born Gryffindor witch, and he Draco Malfoy, a Pureblood Slytherin wizard, anybody who passed would have mistaken it for a lover's promise.

Draco could feel her pulse through the soft skin as he held her wrist firmly in his hand, and suddenly it felt like his heart started beating the same way as hers, and the pounding of blood in his ears had the same rhythm as her pulse, only intensified by the fire that burned him from the inside and the scent of her, subtle in the air around. To rid himself of ridiculous thoughts, he tightened his grip as he spoke to her in hushed voice.

"Meet me tonight after dinner in the left corridor on the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry with the dancing trolls."

Without waiting for a response Draco let go of her hand and hurried down, not really knowing where he was going. He needed to get away from her and her scent as quick as possible, preferably go somewhere cold, somewhere where the fire would extinguish itself enough for him to breathe in the air without her aroma surrounding him.

As he let go of her hand, Hermione's beating heart slowed down and her energy was drained, making her unable to move for some time. She couldn't think about it, about flashes of green and silver on black foundation, and the way her pulse quickened and her heart felt like it was trying to escape her chest. She leaned on the railing, willing herself to calm down.

Anyone who happened to pass the stairs between third and fourth floor on their way to wherever they were going on that Sunday morning, would pass by a confused witch that stared straight ahead and gently caressed her left wrist, which now showed darkening marks of wizard's fingers.

_**DaB**_

Draco Malfoy was pacing in front of the tapestry when she arrived.

Hermione thought about their meeting for the whole day. She went for a walk around the lake with Harry, talking to him about the Tournament, and he seemed so relieved that somebody believed him when he said that he didn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire. She convinced him to write to Sirius, and then left him to go do some homework of her own. She sat down in the library to study, and spent couple of hours there.

All that time, the dark markings that he left on her skin were there, taunting her, reminding her of him and his presence. The bruises didn't hurt, they just existed there, not allowing her to concentrate on anything else but the purplish - blue finger-shaped marks. They made her think about the odd way her magic reacted when he touched her. _I will find out more about it tonight,_ she thought to herself.

And there she was, right on time, in the corridor on the seventh floor. She made some excuse about working late to Harry, and on her way she tried to prepare herself for things that were to come.

"Good evening Malfoy," she said, deciding to act civil.

"I don't need your pleasantries," he replied coldly. "Now, walk besides me and repeat this in your head. 'I need a place to practice duelling that no one can access except Draco Malfoy and me.'"

"What are you talking about-" she started, but the murderous look he gave her shut her up.

"I don't have time for this Granger. Just do as I say."

She decided against arguing and stood by him. He was one step in front of her at all times, but she caught up.

_This is just stupid. I'm walking like a lunatic in front of an empty wall trying to do whatever it is Malfoy wants me-_

"Concentrate Granger!" His voice effectively stopped her thoughts, and she decided to listen to him. He was now walking close to her, look of concentration on his features as he glanced at the wall every couple of seconds. With a final incredulous look, she repeated the words in her head, turning to walk the other way every time she finished the sentence.

_I need a place to practice duels that nobody can access besides Malfoy and me._

Hermione felt extremely stupid, but continued to walk dangerously close to Malfoy.

_I need a place to practice duels that nobody can access besides Malfoy and me._

The brick wall looked just the same as she looked at it, and Hermione wondered what the hell was Malfoy on about.

_I need a place to practice duels that nobody can access besides Malfoy and me._

Turning once more, Hermione repeated the words.

_I need a place – _"- IN THE NAME OF MERLIN, WHAT IS THAT?"

She realized she yelled the last part out loud and stopped in her track, almost crashing into Malfoy. He was grinning next to her, looking smug and satisfied.

"Malfoy, what is that?" she asked, panicking.

"That, Granger, is the place where we will be practicing from this day onward." His voice mirrored his arrogant posture. Her eyes flied frantically from his face to the once empty wall, and he resisted the urge to laugh in her face.

There was a door on the wall. It appeared after their third repetition, slowly emerging from the bricks, and in a second it looked as if it were always there. The door looked ordinary, painted brown with brass doorknob. There was some sort of carving in the middle of it, but when she took a step closer to investigate it, it disappeared. Hermione wondered if she just imagined it all.

It all turned out to be very real when Malfoy reached for the handle and opened the door.

"Come on, before someone finds us," Malfoy ushered her, holding the door for her in a gentlemanly move that just confused her more.

Hermione sighed once, dazed by the turn of events, and took a step forward, following her enemy into the dark.

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**Soooo... review? **


	4. Chapter Three

**AN: Sorry for not updating before - real life got crazy! Hope you're still here with me :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. **

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**_Chapter Three_**

_***DaB***_

_November 1__st__ 1994._

Hermione Granger took a step forward, still dazed by the strange turn of events, and followed Draco Malfoy into the dark.

The room was the size of any classroom in Hogwarts, except that it didn't have any desks. The space in the middle was empty, and dim lights glowed from all around the room, making the atmosphere gloomy and melancholic. There were two sofas in one corner, and a small wooden table in between them. Next to it was a bookshelf filled with books top to bottom, and Hermione resisted the urge to run to it, pick a book, and start reading.

There were some cushions stacked in the room corner closest to them, and she felt puzzled. Than it dawned on her – if they were going to duel, there would probably be some falling included. It was pretty hot too, and she wriggled uncomfortably in her winter robes.

But there was something more important than the heat, so she turned to Malfoy, who now made his way to the couch, and asked the question that had been on her mind since she saw the door materialize out of thin air.

"What the hell is this place?"

Draco smiled lazily.

"Come sit down, I think we need to talk before we do anything."

Hermione nodded, agreeing. She walked the length of the room and sat on the dark red leather sofa across from the black one Malfoy was sitting on. She had a thousand questions fleeing through her mind so she had no idea where to start.

"You asked what is this place-" Draco started lazily, enjoying the situation in which he held more information than Gryffindor witch, "- and I cannot say for sure I know its name. I call it The Room of Need, because it adjusts to whatever your needs are at the moment."

"How did you find it?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

"Well, let's just say that I needed a quiet place to think once," he smirked, remembering searching for a private place to collect his thoughts after publically challenging Lucian Bole into a battle for power in the Slytherin house in his third year. He won, obviously. _Good memories._

He could see Granger getting impatient as her knee jumped up and down in unconscious gesture of nervousness, so he continued his story.

"Anyways, I stumbled upon it on an accident. I memorized the place in case I needed to hide from the world again, but the next time, I actually needed a place to hide an object. So I thought I could hide it in the room I used for isolating myself and thinking without being distracted. However, it unexpectedly turned into a room filled with strange things, and I deducted that it must have been a hiding place for students of Hogwarts for who knows how long. So I realized that it basically turned into whatever you need at the moment."

Hermione looked puzzled, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head. She started talking, obviously more because she needed to think out loud, than because she wanted to hear his input. He lazily twirled his tie, listening to her monologue.

"Well... it's not unusual... I mean Hogwarts is an extremely magical place, and I don't believe even Dumbledore knows all its secrets. But the room is quite something, isn't it? I mean, how does it work?" She was getting more excited by the moment. "Does it have any limitations? And how many people know about it?" She continued firing questions, not bothering to wait for his answer. "Wait, let me try something. Don't speak."

Hermione bit her lip, concentrating hard on the words in her head. Draco contemplated starting another fight, because who was she to tell him what to do, but decided against it as he watched Granger close her eyes, ignoring little bead of perspiration on her brow. He cleared his throat.

_I need a circle drawn in the center of the room, marking the dueling range._

_I need a circle drawn in the center of the room, marking the dueling range._

_I need a circle drawn in the center of the room, marking the dueling range._

Hermione repeated the words three times in her head, and turned her head around as soon as she opened her eyes.

"Yes!" She cried out victoriously, laughing in the process, because indeed there was a shining blue line in shape of a circle in the middle of the room now.

Draco had the clear view of it as he was sitting in a place he could see the whole room in front of him, and saw the circle appear before she did. He decided to elaborate a bit, before she got too excited.

"As for how many people know, I would say two – you and me. I haven't told anybody. About the limitations, well, it will produce anything you want, but it abides to Gamp's Law. I tested it and asked for food a couple of times, yet I got nothing."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up a bit, and she was shocked that someone else knew about the Law. Then again, he was a Pure-blood wizard, it would make sense that he had more knowledge than the average Half-blood or Muggle-born.

"I need to ask something of you Granger," Draco said, leaning forward to put his elbows on his knees. "You need to swear to me that you'll never tell anyone about this room. Not to Weasel, not to Scarhead, no one. And one more thing. Everything that happens in this room stays a secret between the two of us. Alright?"

Hermione studied his face. She didn't want anyone to know about her problems, and especially not when Malfoy was going to be the one helping her. And about what happened here... well, she could give her consent, but only after he agreed to a couple of conditions.

"I will do as you ask under two conditions. First, you are never to tell anybody of this arrangement and this room unless we both agree that would be the best solution. Second – if you hurt me intentionally, and I do mean any form of intentional physical torture, the whole deal is off and I will go straight to Professor Dumbledore, right after I make sure you'll never be able to walk properly again."

He almost smiled at her naivety and her threats. As if she could hurt him in any way. And did she really think he would try to hurt her outright, when at least one other person knew about their meetings? That would be utterly stupid of him, and Draco Malfoy could be described by many less than flattering things, but stupid was not one of them.

_You need her._

His expression darkened at that thought and he curtly agreed.

"Alright, I agree to your ridiculous conditions." He leaned back. "Now, this is how I planned the lessons."

Hermione thought it was too hot to sit in her uniform then, because she still had her winter robes on, and she couldn't duel in those. The room being pleasantly hot and all of the excitement and possibilities of the room just made her sweat more. She pulled the robes over her head, getting her hair stuck on a button during the process. She struggled to free herself, cursing lowly as she thought how stupid she must look with her hands up in the air and her face covered with her robes.

"Evanesco," Draco murmured, and her hair was suddenly free because the button vanished. She pulled the robes off, revealing a plain white shirt, a red and gold tie and a black skirt underneath.

"Um... thank you?" she replied, more a question than a thanks. He just nodded, cursing himself inwardly.

_Why did I do that?_

Draco almost groaned at his stupidity. He should have left her to choke on the bloody robes. He just hoped that she wouldn't mistake that gesture as a – Merlin forbid – _friendly_ gesture, because the most prominent emotion he felt in relation with the girl in front of him was repulse.

_It was just because your Mother raised you to be a gentleman towards girls_.

Satisfied with that elaboration, he continued observing the witch in front of him. She folded her robes and put them down next to her on the couch, removing her wand from an inner pocket. Granger then turned to him, loosening her tie and straightening her skirt.

"The lessons?" she asked.

"Yes. The lessons. Well, seeing as I'm your tutor, you will be calling me Mister Malfoy-"

"No bloody way! I won't do that, are you insane?" Hermione started yelling at him, her almost untied tie forgotten, and he just laughed wolfishly at her face.

"Relax Granger, I'm just messing with you," he shook his head. "You're like a little lion cub, so easy to provoke."

Hermione was fuming in her seat, holding her wand tighter and closer. Draco was extremely amused by her fiery response to every provocation. She needed to learn how to control herself.

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me –" he put his hand up to prevent any protests and she reluctantly obliged, reminding herself to curse him later, " – I thought we could meet here every Sunday evening, after dinner. If either of us has something more pressing, we have to figure out how we'll notify the other. Owls are too suspicious, and me asking other students about your whereabouts, and _vice-versa,_ is absolutely out of the question."

She nodded thoughtfully.

"I'll think about it, you do too, and next Sunday we'll discuss it again. As for the lessons – how far ahead are you in your spells and charms?" He asked her. He knew how meticulous she was. _A stuck-up know-it-all._

"I've already read all the books we'll be using this year, and I tried to practice some of the spells, but it's impossible to be alone anywhere in this castle, especially now that students from other schools are here," she replied.

"Alright. How about the... _energy_ you feel?" Draco asked, clenching his hands into fists.

He didn't know what he wanted to hear. If she described the energy as something completely different than what he was feeling, than he would get a proof of his superiority. It was impossible for a Muggle-born to have the same powers as a Pure-blood wizard such as him.

On the other hand, and he never would admit this out loud, or allow himself to think about it again, but somewhere deep inside he wanted her to be the same as him, because then... then he wouldn't be alone. Nobody could understand how he was feeling. His Godfather tried to help him, but the helplessness he felt when the fire started scorching from the inside, the lack of sleep, the pleasurable pain he felt course through his veins when he was duelling... it was different.

_She may understand._

Hermione felt uneasy at the prospect of pouring her secrets out to her archenemy. She and Malfoy hated each other. She hated him with a fiery passion; he hated her with icy calculation. But then... Dumbledore thought he could help her. If people were starting to notice her issues, maybe it was the best to put her faith into Dumbledore. If he was the same as her, well, that's a good thing.

_He might be the one to understand how awful it is._

"Well... hmm... where do I start?" she started, trying to find the best way to breach the subject.

"At the beginning would be fine," his icy voice cut the silence.

Hermione looked up into his steel eyes and she understood in that moment, why this was so important. He needed to hear this as much as she needed to tell it to someone. If he experienced the same things he did, then he needed reassurance and understanding. Or maybe she needed it? She didn't know, but as rational part of her brain was trying to stop her, to tell her that she will never experience anything remotely pleasant from Draco Malfoy, she decided to take a leap of faith.

"Okay, um... well... it started when I was really young. The strange things that happened, blowing things up, moving things when I thought about them, the weather changes that somehow suited my mood... I didn't know what those things were at the time. When I got my Hogwarts letter, I just shrugged it off as normal outbursts of magic that happen to young wizards and witches, although it always seemed a bit... off to me. I mean, I could feel that it was different. I mastered the spells faster than anyone else, but still I had this feeling that there might be something more, like a... I don't know, something inside of me, it just... it wasn't right. And then..." she took a deep breath as she traced the invisible patterns on the couch.

"Then I started feeling all these weird things. I just felt this strange tickling sensation at first all over my body, and then it escalated into... into an ache, an energy that burns inside and devours me. I was agitated all of the time, and I thought it was because I was exhausted due to my course schedule." Hermione remembered all the issues she had with the Time-turner due to her overly ambitious schedule, and shivered a bit.

"But then I started sleeping less, and I used to wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat because something inside of me wants to get out and I don't know how to let it!"

Words poured from her mouth like an avalanche, her relief at finally being able to say it obvious to Draco as he listened to her, captivated.

"I feel it coursing through my veins, and it's getting stronger. I don't duel people because of that, and I retain myself from casting certain offensive spells. I can feel physical pain when I do cast them, and the tingles, and the overall sense of something moving inside of me, something destructive, and I don't know what the hell it is, I just want it to stop!"

She was mortified when she realized she was crying. She wiped her tears silently, and looked Malfoy straight in the eye.

Draco was silent the whole time, not moving his eyes from the witch in front of him. The witch he detested because she was everything he was taught to hate. turned out to be the one that was the same as him.

As he listened to her, it became apparent to Draco that Severus was right. The things she described, it was like she was in his head, pulling words out of him and presenting them as her own. All the feelings he was experiencing she finally put into words that would make little sense to those that haven't experienced it.

"Does it-" The words came out rusty and he cleared his throat, inspecting the ties on his shoes. "Does it ever stop?"

Hermione shook her head, and then stopped like she remembered something. Her cheeks got redder as she softly spoke, unconsciously caressing her left wrist, which bore his marks.

"It, um... well, it does seem to... diminish a bit after... after our fights."

His head snapped up quickly, and his mouth opened before he could think.

"You feel it too?" he asked shocked in a low voice.

Dark bronze and gray steel met again, but this time it was more intimate. Draco saw how her teary eyes sparkled in the dim lights, and she noticed the pained expression that he was hiding from the world mark his features. The space between them became a blur, and all they could focus on was each other.

Hermione's hair became frizzier, buzzing with static electricity. Draco's skin erupted in goose-bumps, as his vision became blurred with crackles of golden ropes. They both felt the pull towards one another, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. Hermione could smell him but only briefly, and she needed more, she needed to feel him close or she felt like she would suddenly erupt. Draco remembered her aroma from before that day, and felt that if he did not lean forward to breathe in the essence of her, he would surely stop breathing altogether.

The fire incinerated itself suddenly, making them both gasp at the same time. Hermione's heartbeat thumped loudly in her ears, effectively blocking the outside world. Draco's veins were pleasurably painful, rush of magic in his blood deafening. Grey eyes and bronze ones widened at the same time, as the screams of magic within became too much to bear. It was a vortex of unimaginable power, dragging them both down, his scent meshing with hers, her magic touching his, as the fire scorched their very core.

"STOP!"

Draco didn't remember the screaming, all that he remembered was Granger falling back on the couch like a puppet, and then his eyes closed and there was darkness everywhere.

_**DaB**_

_November 2__nd__, 1994._

When he woke up, Draco couldn't remember where he was at first. He was lying on a leather sofa, staring at the plain ceiling that he did not recognize. He turned right and saw Hermione Granger across from him, lying on a red leather couch soundlessly.

That's when it all came back.

He straightened himself up quickly, getting lightheaded in the process. He felt like he just got ran over by a heard of angry Centaurs. His whole body hurt and his mouth was dry.

"Stupid room, Gamp's Law, Merlin," he mumbled to himself, and then remembered he had a wand.

_I need a glass_, he thought, and a glass appeared on the table.

"Aguamenti, " Draco mumbled, and the water spilled itself from his wand into the glass. After repeating the spell three times, he quenched his thirst and felt a little bit better. Then he looked at Granger.

Her hair was crazy wild, pointing in every direction, covering her face. He couldn't tell if she was dead or just sleeping, so he decided to approach her.

Every movement hurt, like thousand tiny daggers stabbing their way through his muscles, but he made himself kneel next to Granger's couch. He could see it now, tiny movement of her chest, the only indication she was alive.

_I need another glass_, he told the room, and another tall water glass appeared. Draco filled it with water and turned to Granger.

"Granger," he said. She didn't react.

"Granger," he tried, a little louder. The pain in his head got worse. Still no response.

"GRANGER," he yelled, and then Hermione opened her eyes and started screaming.

He fell backwards and hit himself on a coffee table, cursing loudly. The white searing pain that tumbled through his head almost made him lose consciousness, and he cursed loudly. That made Hermione stop screaming as she looked around herself, recognition evident in her eyes.

"Are you alright Malfoy?" she asked, not really knowing why. Her throat felt sore in that moment and she noticed the glass of water on her side of table. She took it, thanking the room in her head.

"Of course I'm not bloody okay! You wake up and start screaming at me out of the blue – your shrill voice is hurting my ears!"

Draco thought his head was going to explode. Hermione gulped down her water quickly, then leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes.

"Urgh, I feel like I'm about to fall apart," she groaned. "Every movement hurts."

"Imagine how I feel, on top of all that I hit my head on the coffee table because of your Banshee screams."

Draco was in a really foul mood, and Granger's next question did nothing to alleviate it.

"What happened to us?"

Hermione asked timidly, too scared of his reaction to open her eyes. That way, she could prevent him from seeing her crying from pain.

"I don't know, but this bloody headache isn't helping," Draco said, massaging his temple. He was sitting on the floor, leaning on the red sofa.

_What the hell happened? What was that? The outburst, and the feelings, what was it?_

The questions started roaming through his head, too many at once. He was unable, and even more _unwilling_ to think about them. He wanted her to disappear and never have to speak to her again. Or better yet, he wished he had never agreed to this.

_Teaching a Mudblood witch to use powerful magic was never a good idea._

Hermione wasn't in much better state; flashes of what happened appeared here and there, hazy and confusing, and it gave her feeling that a gauzy cloud covered her judgement. The thing that confused and agitated her most was the feeling she had in the moment of combustion. She dared not think about it now, when he was so close by.

_Why does everything in my life have to be so complicated?_

The thought saddened Hermione for some reason, and she barely composed herself. She turned to Malfoy when she was certain that no tears would escape her.

"I remember being in pain, and the fire... it burned out, and I could feel you and smell you-"

"Stop."

She stopped talking when he rudely interrupted her. His eyes burned fire and she held back her breath, reluctantly admitting to herself that she was scared of him.

Draco slowly stood up, resisting the urge to lean on the sofa some more. He needed to show her that he was in charge. He needed to show her that there was no weakness inside of him, and that a lowborn, unworthy witch could never affect him in any way.

"I have no idea what you think happened, but get all those thoughts out of your head."

Granger's eyes widened, and for a moment Draco saw the bronze fields that held promises of-

_No._

Draco wouldn't think about it. Not now, not when she was so close. Not here, where her scent still predominated the air. Through the pain and confusion he managed to stand up, and the look he gave her was gray steel full of contempt - it made her eyes watery.

"This lesson is over... Mudblood."

And with those parting words, Draco forced his legs not to quiver as he strode towards the exit.

_Whoever said that words don't mean a thing is an idiot_, Hermione thought to herself as she watched the door of the Room of Need close behind the tall, blond boy.

Hermione Granger appreciated loneliness. It put things into perspective, and made her logical mind chew and spit all the possible scenarios, deciding on the course of action, and how to react in case of deflection. This time, however, she was thankful for it because of simple reason – she never wanted Draco Malfoy to see that he could make her cry.

The tears she had been holding back were now flowing freely, and she let out all the frustration and sadness. Whirlwind of emotion consumed her as she wrapped her arms around her knees and just surrendered to the utter sense of despair. All the confusion fogged her brain, her sobs were getting louder, and she could barely see the table with two glasses in front of her through the curtain of her tears.

In a moment, Hermione Granger stopped sobbing.

She was staring at the table, her mind working frantically on dissipating the fog, as she struggled to remember.

_There are two glasses on the table. I drank water._

Hermione knew she was missing something, but she didn't know what. The atmosphere in the room changed, and she could feel herself getting wired up through all the exhaustion. This was what she did best - _think_. There was something wrong with this image, and she knew the answer. She just needed some more time. Just some more time and then –

_Gamp's law._

Hermione's bronze eyes widened with surprise when she remembered that the Room wasn't susceptible to Gamp's Law, which meant that the Room couldn't give her a glass if she didn't ask, and couldn't give her water at all, which meant that-

"-he charmed it for me."

She whispered the words into an empty room, and for a moment she could almost feel the machinery in her head come to a halt after the all the heavy thinking. Her head still hurt as she repeated the words through her raw throat.

"He charmed a glass of water for me."

Hermione Granger smiled at that thought, too tired to think about it and too dazed to analyze it. She slowly gathered the robes that were resting, folded on the space next to her. Then, she took the wand from the table and murmured '_Aguamenti'_. The glass closer to her filled up with water, and as she drank, Hermione could feel her aching throat slowly healing as the tasteless liquid flowed down her pharynx.

As she gathered her strength for the uneasy task that lay ahead of her – getting back to Gryffindor tower and her dormitory without anyone noticing – Hermione couldn't shake off the thought that there was something more to blond Slytherin's behavior than meets the eye.

Were she not deadly exhausted, Hermione Granger would recognize the feeling that arose in her at that particular moment as excitement.

* * *

**Hope you guys liked it! I'll try to update sooner. Don't give up on me yet, and tell me what you think.**


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